Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The yellow blanket I made a while back has quickly become our favorite baby blanket. It is heavy enough of a yarn that wind doesn't blow it all over the place. It has an awesome drape, and is extremely soft. I was thinking I should make another one. I have to get on it quickly if i want it finished before the need is gone. For the quality of yarn, it is shockingly cheap. Here is the yarn I use....Please vote on a color. http://www.knitpicks.com/Shine+Sport+Yarn_YD5420122.html The blanket I made was out of their "butter" color, which turned out to be more of a bright yellow. Just FYI.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas is over and we had a good time. Our house might take weeks to recover. We brought all the gifts back with us this year, instead of like in past years having people over to our house. That means we have lots of bags. We don't have an abundance of time, energy or the desire to put stuff away the second we get home. Most of that time has been spent opening up Ava's toys and getting them set up for her. (Can I just say how annoying it is that the My Little Pony playland thingy doesn't work with the regular sized My Little Ponies? Why did I buy her a set of 7 ponies?) We did pretty well getting to where we needed to be and had fun seeing the family. By last night we were all pretty worn out but we will still had a good time. We thought it was too easy to get out of the house last night, but that would be because we forgot all of our gifts at home. We were just working on getting enough diapers, sippy cups, new toys that had to come, and blankets out the door.

We were both up extremely late on Christmas Eve. Rhys slept well, but was still up as needed to eat. I think we got up to open presents around 8:30. Ava seems to love her new dollhouse the most. She has been playing with it non-stop.

We decided that our new recliner is our gift to each other. It is how we are rationalizing it in our heads at least. Our rear window of the van exploded due to the change of temperature on the 23rd so there went the chair money and then some. Woe is us, the employed. It is always nice to complain and then realize that really, there is nothing to complain about. We are fed, housed, and healthy.

I just have to say that all of my siblings are amazing gift givers. Ever since I can remember they have always been able to come up with gifts that are either just what I wanted or something that I need that I didn't even know that I did. This has continued and now has spread to my husband and kids. It is awesome and so appreciated. When I think about how much thought goes into each gift every year it makes me tear up, even non-post partum years.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

We are five days in with two kids. It is definitely an adjustment, but not a bad one. I think Ava is having the hardest time with the whole thing. Her behavior and attitude drastically changes for the better when she is getting some one on one attention. She really loves Rhys and wants him with her so it isn't that bad. She hasn't asked for him to be sent back or anything like that. She actually panics if she thinks he isn't coming with us somewhere. She is just very whiney and wants lots of help with things, in addition to a whole lot of talking back and attitude. She just can't figure out if she is going to be the big girl or the baby. The bobo situation has gotten horrible. Rhys can have his all the time, why can't she? Rhys is another bobo baby, though I think it is funny that we introduce such a thing when we currently have an addict in the house.

We have been busy running around with things. I am looking forward to just being home for a few days. Tomorrow we have a few errands to run, but that isn't bad since we can limit it to what we need and want to do. Rhys has his new baby appointment and we have to pick up a few things. We will see how much weight he has gained back. He only lost 4.8 ounces in the hospital and started eating a ton as soon as he gets home. He eats often but not necessarily a lot, which is why it is so often. I am trying to convince him that 15 minutes is better than 5 and it lasts a lot longer...especially at night.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Rhys is 3 days old today, though it is technically our 4th "day" with him, since he was born first thing in the morning.

Short story of his birth...we had just finished our candy making marathon for the night and were watching The Biggest Loser finale. The baby had been moving around like a crazy person, very odd movements. The shape of my belly had changed and everything. I had told the baby that if it wanted out so bad to just go ahead and poke a hole. The last person gets on the scale and I am suddenly questioning how I didn't notice peeing on myself, and quickly realize what had happened and took off running for the bathroom. Turns out in addition to my water breaking, it was a whole lot of blood. Mostly all I could see was blood and clots. (I failed to mention that it had snowed and most people had been calling to say it had taken them 3 hours to get home from work.) I called my doctor and was put through to the nurses at Edward's. They said with the weather that I really should just call an ambulance and go wherever they take me. They didn't want to risk me being stuck in the snow somewhere. The blood/water had stopped pouring out and I could still feel the baby moving all over the place, so I was only a little worried. I made sure I was all excited about getting to go out on the gurney and waved bye bye to Ava (who was still up for some unknown reason) and I was gone. The hospital was somewhat confused why I had come in the ambulance, since the paramedics just told them "40 weeks and water broke" but I told them what really happened and the doctor came right in to do an ultrasound. I still had a little water around the baby, but not even close to the normal amount and I had an "old placenta" and she could see where some of it had separated. I really lucked out and had an excellent doctor who was super nice. She said that as long as there wasn't anymore gushes of blood I could continue on like normal, since contractions had pretty much started immediately. As the doctor said, the body's way of taking care of a problem.

Contractions picked up and went fine. I was progressing normally, so no pitocin was needed. I got my epidural around 2am (my water broke around 10:40pm). I still had that one spot like I had with Ava that wouldn't go completely numb, but it still was much duller, so I was fine with it. We both tried to sleep at that point. I would say we dozed, but no sleeping really took place. The doctor came into check and I was at 5cm and 60%. An hour or so later, I was at 7 cm, and 90%. The doctor kept saying once I completely efface it would go much faster. Pretty much the contraction after that last check, I felt the baby push down. I kept that to myself and just rearranged myself to be more helpful to the whole process. I kept hearing the nurse I had with Ava say to just wait to push until you need to especially with an epidural because your body will do a lot of the work for you. The contractions were a little less than 2 minutes apart at this point, and with each contraction I could feel a little more pressure. The nurse asked me when she came back in if I was feeling anything, so I told her. She checked and I was ready to go. This was 45 minutes after being at 7. She called the doctor and the other nurses and after 10 minutes of pushing, Rhys was out. It was so different from with Ava. I felt the head come out and I actually looked down and said hi. I knew he was a boy before anybody said anything because I was able to watch him come out. He was 8 pounds 5 ounces and 20.5 inches long. He came out crying and mad.

Our time in the hospital was short. I specifically asked to be able to go home the next day. Rhys wasn't that interested in eating in the hospital. He showed me that he could do it right away but then didn't concern himself with anything other than sleeping and pooping. We were home by 1 on Thursday. Ava was very excited for us to be home. Rhys didn't feel the pressure of the hospital apparently, and decided he was all about eating as soon as we got home. (I will have to remember to post about Ava's reaction to Rhys in the hospital later.) We all got naps Thursday afternoon and slept probably at least 7 hours Thursday night. Yesterday was just a relaxed day and we did Christmas at my dad's house. Rhys is way more vocal than Ava ever was and is very particular about being held a certain way and by certain people. Sometimes he doesn't want me, sometimes he doesn't want Justin. Sometimes he feels like screaming just to scream apparently. This time around, we seem to not be passing him around to avoid waking the dragon, so to speak. If he is content, just leave him, even if that means sitting in the car seat, regardless of who wants him, Ava included. Last night he decided he really likes to eat and wanted to eat every hour to hour and a half. If not screaming would ensue. He wasn't up just to be up, he just wanted to eat. He tends to have awake times during the day which is good.

Monday, December 15, 2008

My recliner, which was my favorite place for sitting with Ava when she was a baby, is now broken. It was a good, free recliner when we got it. The bottom has kind of fallen in, and I sit on an angle and the foot rest comes up every time I sit in it. I actually sink in far enough to the seat that the foot rest cuts into my leg. We did some deal hunting and found a great deal on overstock.com. Besides baby furniture and our mattress, this is our first new piece of furniture! We are going to put it downstairs and move the rocking chair upstairs. Justin likes the rocking chair, so now he will just have it upstairs and I will have a recliner up and downstairs. Little by little, (apparently a lot more slowly and little by little than previously thought) we will actually pick stuff out for our house and get furniture that we have chosen. It will be crazy.

By the way, I do love free McCafe Mondays. The free coffees are little, but they are tasty. If the McDonalds by our house would start doing the lattes and stuff I would be pretty happy.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

I am way less crabby about the baby never coming out. (I was fighting a serious craving for chocolate that we didn't have in the house and it was a big contributor to the crabbiness. We haven't rectified that situation, so it could flair up at any time... psst. new york super fudge chunk.) It still may never come out, but in reality, I am due tomorrow. Labor is when you dilate, so I am just not in labor now. Dilation is no way to predict when you will go into labor. I would much rather walk around at 1 than 3 for weeks, because 3 just gives you lots of false hope. I still can't commit to activities and I still am not going to respond to things like "baby come out yet?" But in the mean time, it is what it is, and we are all just hanging out at home and it is fun. Ava is currently singing into the booger sucker and has given me a callous scraper for my foot to sing into.

I had my doctor's appointment today. No change. "Nothing much going on," were the exact words of the doctor. I am going back next Thursday to get everything checked again. I will be induced on the 22nd if there is no baby by then.

Therefore, we will make no promises to being anywhere at any time. We will show up if we can, I guess. Just because in theory we will be home for Christmas doesn't mean we will go anywhere. We might, but who knows. As a side note, I will also no longer respond to any questions or messages about whether or not I have had the baby because that is really just annoying at this point. Nobody wants the baby out more than me. Believe me, I will not forget to tell people.

In other news, my blood pressure is still perfect. Gained a couple pounds (thanks Eddy's) and baby's heart rate was 128. Once again I HAVE NOT DROPPED, I JUST CARRY LOW. The baby is actually back up a station.

Monday, December 8, 2008

So my here is my favorite Christmas song. Click on the link and listen and enjoy while you continue to read.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBHrmDRffyU

God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman/We Three Kings

I love singing it. It helps that it is in the perfect key that I feel like I can just belt it out, plus it kind of makes me want to dance around a bit which is a double bonus. I downloaded it the other day and have been trying to figure out what else to burn it to a cd with so I can listen to it constantly in the car. I love the different vocal parts in the song and I know mine by heart. I am hoping to actually get to sing it with someone, even if it is just in the car...(Justin, this means with you...or Michael, anybody, Bueller.) It will be excellent. Man! Won't it rule when Ava learns to sing parts? She already sings into her microphone (the booger sucker) and dances around.

No sign of baby, by the way. I am guessing sometime this upcoming weekend. No particular reason, just don't get your hopes up.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Ava has never been a juice drinker. She really doesn't care too much for it and we rarely buy it because we end up throwing out most of the bottle. She would never finish a cup full, and never really asked for it, so it just didn't get used. Until we found First Juice. She loves the banana carrot flavor. It comes in a bigger bottle and a re-useable sippy type bottle. She likes to drink out of the sippy bottle, but likes water in it and stuff. Bad news about First Juice, it isn't found in most grocery stores. So far I have found you can buy it online or at Babies R Us. More bad news, it isn't cheap. Oh well, she is getting vegetables.

I am actually 39 weeks today. I went to the doctor on Tuesday and just never got around to writing this.

Nothing has changed. My blood pressure is perfect, gained .8 pounds, not any further dilated or effaced. Baby's heart rate was 146. Justin came with so he got to see Ava hear the baby. She thinks it is funny. No predictions were made about delivery. There really is no way to make them, other than going by when I had my last baby. I was induced 2 days before the due date, so to them, I will probably go up to my due date. Oh, the baby has NOT dropped.

Justin put on his facebook that there was a false alarm. There wasn't. An alarm has to be raised for it to be false. I had to poop. Generally really painful contractions accompany the need to poop or foreshadow it. Apparently there is no room for the poop.

Monday, December 1, 2008

The countdown until the due date has officially begun. 10 days. Weird. The fact that it is December and that no matter what I will have a December baby is weird. It will come out at some point and it will be in December.

Ava and I have big plans today for making Christmas presents. Tomorrow is the post office to mail bookmooch books that I seriously meant to mail sometime in October. I need to stop accepting to send things because I hate doing it. Meanwhile, I have 15 points to use, which means 15 books. Problem is, the books I want are never available. Nobody even has them listed. After that is the doctor's office, lunch, nap and work. It should be a good time. Other than work and other things on the calendar that is about it for definitely planned out days.

It snowed. I was told when the barometric pressure changes and it snows, I will have the baby. Baby doesn't want to come out apparently.